Educational / Vocational Trust Fund

What is an Educational/Vocational Trust Fund?
An Education/Vocational Trust Fund is a vehicle whereby a birthmother can have means for betterment. The trust will fund educational and vocational activities by direct payee methods that will improve the future of the birthmother. The trust may also be used to cover student loans or other outstanding betterment debts. Our goal is to help the birthmother create or sustain a better life for herself and the others she might be responsible for.

How does this trust differ from other financial support a birthmother could receive?
Simply put, this program does not provide for housing, supplies or other common things during the pregnancy as some programs do. We will help the birthmother access community resources for these areas, as well as encourage her to utilize personal management skills.

We do however want to support the birthmother in setting some future goals for herself. Our Educational/Vocational Trust Fund can help change a womans future by providing a financial incentive to pursue educational or vocational goals. It also helps to remove the perception that a baby was purchased and decreases the conflicts between birth and adoptive parents, which could result in feelings of obligation or in extreme cases, coercion.

The trust is about life change, not temporary fixes.

What amount of support is provided by the fund?
Each birthmother who places her child is eligible to receive up to $2,000 in assistance. The trust account remains open for a period of two years and can be drawn from at any time during this period, as long as the request meets the betterment criteria.

If matching funds or other grants become available, the funding amounts may be increased.

What happens to unused funds?
We encourage all birthparents to use all of their funds, however sometimes that does not happen. Unused trust funds will transfer to our general account after two years and will no longer be available to the birthparents. Each placing birthmother is awarded the same amount with the same access to the funds. How a birthmother uses her funds is up to her but must meet the eligibility criteria. We will assist you by providing educational and vocational coaching.

Eligibility
Women who have placed a child through the Infant Placement Program of Adoption Horizons are eligible to receive monies from the Educational/Vocational Trust Fund. All birthmothers in our program are eligible for funding which must be requested and must meet acceptable program guidelines, and be approved by the Board of Directors.